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Spring Training Round-Up: People Are Hurt, Life Goes On

If you enjoy hearing about injury news, this D-backs team has been your one stop shop the past couple of weeks as 7 different players have been pulled out of games. Good news and bad news abound on that front, The Knuckler is KO'ed, and Figueroa's WBC magic doesn't translate well.

By Steven Burt

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A.J Pollock reacts to another D-back injury.
A.J Pollock reacts to another D-back injury.
AP

Quotient Quotables

It’ll be a little sore tomorrow. It was just starting to turn a little purple. We got him out of there so I could let his teammates rag on him.

- Kirk Gibson on Aaron Hill's injured finger

We thoroughly enjoyed being a part of 'The Next Knuckler' and having Josh in camp. We gave him an opportunity to make the team, but it unfortunately did not work out for him. He's a terrific guy and was a display of class his entire stay.

- D-backs President and CEO Derrick Hall on the Josh Booty experiment

I believe we've worked very hard to put a team together that can compete, and we start the season with every belief that we're going to be in the playoffs, that's what we strive for every single year.We made a lot of moves and we're a different team than the one that was on the field last year, and the nature of how I think we're going to play the game is going to be different this year.

- D-backs owner Ken Kendrick on this years' expectations

Diamondbacks Daily

Figueroa not sharp in first start since WBC as the D-backs lose 8-6 against the Giants. - Yahoo Sports

Fighting for a spot as the 5th starter, Nelson Figueroa gave up 4 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings against the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale. Heath Bell and Matt Reynolds also struggled against our NL West rivals as they gave up 3 and 1 runs respectively. On the other side of the ball, our offense broke out with home runs from Alfredo Marte and Nick Ahmed as they both look to impress in the last days of Spring Training.

Arizona Diamondbacks Positional Power Rankings - 3rd Base
Name PA AVG OBP SLG wOBA Bat BsR Fld WAR
Martin Prado 595 .293 .347 .439 .339 7.7 -0.3 2.7 3.4
Eric Chavez 105 .262 .328 .434 .326 0.3 -0.1 -0.2 0.4
Total 700 .289 .344 .438 .337 8.0 -0.4 2.5 3.8

Given the fact that he helps the Dbacks place tenth here, Prado clearly isn’t chopped liver. But if Arizona misses the postseason, and this is all the team gets from Prado, the 37 people who root for the Dbacks are probably going to be pretty upset with the Justin Upton trade. Possibly cutting into Prado’s value is that the team also signed Chavez, and you don’t give Chavez $3 million guaranteed for 10-15 games. He’s going to play, and while he will probably see some time at first base and DH, his natural position is third base. All of this is probably going to conspire to keep prospect Matt Davidson on the farm all season, which is why we didn’t list him here.

Who's batting first?

With the plethora of injuries sustained by our potential lead-off hitters and Opening Day only days away, this question is a valid one. With the options dwindling, the D-backs may look to just about anyone to get the offense on the right track. Now don't expect any of our big thumpers, Paul Goldschmidt, Aaron Hill or Jason Kubel, leading off anytime soon; but if it is anything like last year, expect a revolving door based on match-ups and who's feeling it that night.

Around Baseball Today

Chris Getz had 6 hits for the Royals in a 9-9 tie

With an average of .450 in Spring Training, Chris Getz can't wait to get this season underway. He doubled, tripled and drove in 2 while 4 others homered for the 23-7-2 Kansas City Royals.

Manny Ramirez collects his first hit in the Taiwanese League

In his first baseball action since being suspended in 2011, MannyMania hits Taiwan as he collects a single in the 2nd inning.

Baseball loses a legend... or something

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